Page numbers are the ones printed on the bottom of the pages. These may differ from the numbering in digital versions.
Characters
English
Japanese
Notes
Aya Oosawa
大沢あや
Main character 1 かわいい
Mitsuki Koga
古賀みつき
Main character 2 黒ずくめ
Uncle Joe
ジョー (譲)
Mitsuki’s uncle
Megumu Narita
成田 恵
Male classmate
Chizuru
ちづる
Aya’s friend (light hair)
Mao
まお
Aya’s friend (dark hair)
Kanna
カンナ
LA based stylist
Discussion Guidelines
Everybody should feel free to post and ask questions–it’s what makes book clubs fun! But please do not post until you are familiar with Spoiler Courtesy!
Spoiler Courtesy
Please follow these rules to avoid inadvertent ネタバレ. If you’re unsure whether something should have a spoiler tag, err on the side of using one.
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Schedule relatively straightforward. There is a 16 page/24 page weeks split so that we finish week three at the end of chapter 7. Any comments please let me know.
Sat down to read this, and suddenly realised that I… have no memory of reading volume two. I mean, I must have done, because I voted as such in the poll, but I can’t remember anything that happened.
So, page 8, the 病める時も健やかなる時も on the scroll is, I believe, a translation of the “in sickness and in health” line from the “standard” English wedding vows.
Can someone explain page 16 to me? I understand all the words, but I feel like I’m missing a step in the logic flow. When did the idea of talking to “Onii-san” enter the conversation? And since the next several strips follow on from that logic flow…
Did you skip a strip? In my book, that’s the start of chapter seven’s second strip. Page 9, according to the table of contents.
There’s medical advice and all, but in the end it’s probably just a combination of personal preference and whatever’s easier. Notice she’s got it on the other side on the previous page.
Same! I also had to double-check on BW Library to see if I’d actually finished Volume 2
I’m not entirely sure either, but I’ll share my interpretation here and let someone else correct me if I’m off.
pg 15 & 16
So on page 15, Osawa observes these two quarrelling (especially noting how she’s talking to Koga’s uncle — all casual and bold?), and thinks that it’s really nice…
That leads into page 16, where she says she wouldn’t be able to talk to her “おにーさん” that way (meaning the version of Koga from the shop). And then Koga gets upset because it feels like Osawa still sees her as that “older brother” figure from the shop, rather than who she is now (like Osawa is still fantasising about Koga being a man).
Like, you know how the Korean word oppa is used for love interests? I feel like it’s a similar usage here (and maybe that’s why the “おにーさん” is in brackets because she doesn’t literally mean older brother?? ) I hope I’m not totally off the mark lol
As I understood it, originally she knew Mitsuki as Mitsuki (her female classmate at school) and おにーさん (a cool male employee at the CD store). In Aya’s head they were two completely separate people.
Even though she now knows that they are the same person, in her head there is still a degree of separation.
Since the fall on the stairs, Aya has been spending lots of time helping Mitsuki while injured - but this has generally been in her school girl look. When she sees Mitsuki in the black outfit, hair tied back and the mask on in the おにーさん look, Aya is happy to see おにーさん again as she hasn’t seen him for a while.
Mitsuki’s a bit frustrated by the response as she is clearly one person, but in Aya’s head Mitsuki and おにーさん are still to a degree separate people.
Or at least that’s how I understood it. Not very easy to explain, my use of pronouns is probably all over the place!
I haven’t started volume 3 yet but I also have forgotten most of what happened during vol 2. I think it’s partly that I read it very quickly and also partly that I feel like the author struggled a bit to find a new focus once the whole “Aya doesn’t realize that the guy she has a crush on is her schoolmate” thing got revealed. The “moving abroad” subplot didn’t really capture my interest, maybe because as a bitter old man it seems obvious to me that they should both prioritize their education and professional prospects over a recent high-school crush, so I’m not super invested in the “WILL SHE GIVE UP ON HER DREAMS?!!” arc.
I voted to participate in this book club and then I completely forgot about it! Ok, I’ve read week 1 now, I’m not that behind, whew. I try not to buy too much physical manga but I did for this series and it’s really fun to read and admire the artwork.
Just had to change my vote to “reading along”. I got caught up with other manga and decided to wait for the club to reach where I am, and just realised it has!
(and maybe that’s why the “おにーさん” is in brackets because she doesn’t literally mean older brother?? ) I hope I’m not totally off the mark lol
